Steam
by Tattoine.teenager
Summary: When water and fire mix what do you get? Steam of course. But is that all you get? Zutarra. OneShot. Apologies for the incomplete file, it was messed up or something but now it's fixed. please re-read if you had started.


Steam

Summary: When you mix water and fire what do you get? Why steam of course… or is that all? Zutara.

"Let's go swimming!" Toph shouted. It was the middle of another hot, boring day on Ember Island. Zuko had already taught Aang more then what normally would have been 6 months worth of intense fire bending lessons had they had the time and Katara was off in the ocean already. As for Suki and Sokka… they were minding their own business to say the least.

"That's a great idea!" Aang jumped at the idea of playing around in the water, especially near Katara.

"But wait I still want to teach you-"Zuko stuttered but before he could finish Aang had taken off shouting

"LAST ONE THERE THROWS ROCKS AT TURTLEDUCKS"

"That was one time…" Zuko grumbled to himself. He was just about to send a fireball after the bald monk when he caught a glimpse of Katara. _"Wow" _he thought _"She looks great"_ He shook his head then added _"At bending! She looks great at bending all of that open, deep, blue eyes- water! Shit! I meant water"_ Zuko's internal monologue was cut off by Toph shouting at him.

"Are you just going to stand there or do something about it?"

"What?" _Crap did she see me looking at Katara. Wait. Toph can't see…_ He breathed a sigh of relief that burned his lower lip. "Sorry I wasn't paying attention"

"I asked if you wanted to have a Bend-off with me" She said indignantly, but Zuko's attention was already back to the water tribe girl.

"I'll pass this time Toph, but, thanks for the offer"

"Suit yourself. Hey twinkle-toes! Want to play some Rock-Rock-Rock with me?"

"Okay!" Aang was always enthusiastic, if nothing else. With Toph distracted, Zuko knew she wouldn't be able to track his motions in the loose sand. Never the less he slowly progressed towards the spot where Katara stood, now forming ribbons of ice into an intricate structure around her neck in the shape of a necklace. So involved was she that she started when Zuko softly tapped her on the shoulder. The necklace vaporized and turned into a water whip.

**Crack**

Zuko's forehead was ringing. He felt a red lump and took a step back from the embarrassed water bender. She looked at him apologetically. She pulled some water from the sea and reached for him.

The thought that she was about to touch him almost sent Zuko overboard. Almost.

"No really" He said, grabbing her very soft hand. _Almost too soft to be a bender._ He thought to himself. His heart was throbbing. "I'm fine; I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that."

"It's no problem to fix it, just give me a chance to recollect myself. I was so involved in making my necklace I almost forgot I wasn't alone."

"I'm fine. It will help me remember not to sneak up on a woman preoccupied."

"But why suffer?"

"Pain is the best teacher" He said softly. Her eyes unconsciously flickered to his eye. His scar. His memory of suffering for what was right. She reached up to touch it. He let her, but only for a moment.

"What I said in Ba Sing Se. About the spirit oasis water. I don't think it would have worked. And I used it all to bring Aang back. But he still has his scar. She moved her hand away and started weaving her necklace again. "I'm sorry Zuko."

"Don't be" He said, moving another step closer to her. He heard her take a quick breathe in and he leaned down. "I think my scar gives me character, a little mystery to my history. Don't you?"

But before she could answer his lips closed around hers and the necklace melted away once more.

"Don't you?" He had said. She couldn't believe what was happening. So many things ran through the back of her mind. What if Aang saw them? What if Toph sensed them? When had she decided to let this happen?

_That one's easy. _She answered herself _when I let myself touch him._

Katara had been falling for Zuko over the last month. He and Aang often trained bare chested and she couldn't help but notice the difference between the two. Aang looked like a kid, a very muscular powerful kid to his credit but a kid throughout. But Zuko. Zuko was a man. He was closer to Katara's age in any case but for some reason she had wanted to be enveloped in the flames that shot from his fists, not just watch them. She wanted to be a part of him.

She started making excuses to be around him. Aang still had trouble controlling fire and Zuko often finished sessions with a quick heal up from Katara on the many burns he had received. She felt his stomach, his legs, and his chest. Everything perfectly chiseled. Perfectly toned. Perfect in every way and everyway Aang wasn't. But he was still crazy ass Zuko who had been hunting them for the last year. In all honesty she had come out here to sort things out in her head about her feelings for Zuko and now…

Well now she was feeling him.

And she liked it.

Zuko felt the tingling healing sensation on his bottom lip as he kissed her more passionately. He felt himself lucky to still be alive, having expected her to freeze him to the bottom of the ocean for trying to kiss her. Instead she was responding with vigor he hadn't felt since… since she first began healing him.

_To think the peasant girl knows her way around a guy… I hope not. _He couldn't help but ask the question in his mind. _Did she and the Avatar?_ He moved a hand to her breast and she almost bucked in reaction. _I guess not._

She held his hand there, and began nearly mashing her lips into his. He smiled into their kiss, happy with her enthusiasm and a little relieved that she too was a virgin. He wouldn't want it any other way. At least not yet.

She reached her hands up and tangled her fingers into his hair. He groaned in pleasure and felt himself growing hot, in more ways than one. He pulled away afraid he would hurt her.

"What's wrong?" She asked him out of breath

"I just don't want to hurt you."

"Oh" she looked disappointed "You're seeing someone else, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not it's just, I get a little destructive when I'm… emotional."

"What's making you so emotional?" Her cool fingers played across the back of his neck. _Damn her hands are just so soft_

"You are." She leaned in for a kiss. He tried to control his fire but it was too strong. He broke the kiss again.

"I don't want to burn you"

"You won't. You couldn't if you tried. Watch." She reached for him again. Knowing he was too turned on to let her touch him he stepped back. She touched his chest and a geyser of steam dispersed from their point of contact.

"That feels"

"Great. There's something that happens when two benders of different elements touch. I'm not really sure what it is or if it happens all the time."

"Did it happen when you and Aang?"

"No. But I suspect it may have released bubbles." They both laughed. Her voice was like the sound of bells and his of a warm blanket. He pulled her into his chest and the steam erupted, but it didn't keep them apart. On the contrary it seemed to blanket them and push them together. His tongue pried her lips open and with a groan and another burst of steam she melted into him. She was cold and he was hot but in the moment they only felt the passion for each other. The steam had grown denser and he laid her down gently on the sand.

"Aang can't see us now."

"Toph can't either" She added pointing to the beyond soft sand. It felt more like feathers then granules.

"Is this okay?" He asked, moving away for just a moment

"It's more than okay." She added running her hands down his body to the waistline of his pants. He groaned as she traced the fine line of hair with one cool finger until she could go no further. He moved his hands down her waist to her lower back and she sighed happily.

"Katara?"

"Zuko?"

"I think I really like steam."


End file.
